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Sual, Pangasinan Mayor Liseldo Calugay and former Pangasinan 4th District Rep. Christopher De Venecia. Calugay photo by Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News; De Venecia is HoR handout/File

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Sual, Pangasinan Mayor Liseldo Calugay and former Pangasinan 4th District Rep. Christopher De Venecia. 

Agatha Gregorio

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1764225961599composites 2.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" spellcheck="false" style="text-align:left">Sual, Pangasinan Mayor Liseldo Calugay and former Pangasinan 4th District Rep. Christopher De Venecia. <em>Calugay photo by Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News; De Venecia photo is HoR handout/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — A joint verified complaint-affidavit for plunder and other cases was filed at the Office of the Ombudsman Thursday against former Pangasinan 4th District Rep. Christopher de Venecia, Sual Mayor Liseldo Dong Calugay, some Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials, and contractors over two alleged “ghost” flood control projects in Pangasinan.</p><p>One of the complainants, Samahan ng mga Operator at Tsuper ng Traysikel ng Pangasinan, Inc. President Jaime Aquino, said the projects were worth approximately P286 million.</p><p>&quot;Nag-video kami doon sa Sitio Dalumat, Santo Tomas na dalawang beses ginawa ‘yung kanilang flood control system ay wala po kaming nakita kundi ang mga bato-bato sa gilid ng dike,&quot; Aquino told reporters on Wednesday.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/27/sandro-marcos-says-to-face-ici-any-time-after-zaldy-co-claims-0925">Sandro Marcos says ready to face ICI ‘any time’ after Zaldy Co claims</a></div><p>Aquino added they saw no progress on a project supposedly done by Calugay and his wife Garly Macaranas Calugay of Bet Construction and Supply.</p><p>&quot;&#x27;Yung ikalawa na project ay makikita sa Barangay Santo Tomas Casibong na ito ay unang ginawa ng mag-asawang kontratista na si Liseldo Calugay at Garly ngunit nung nag-video kami doon, pinuntahan namin ‘yung lugar ay wala po kaming nakitang project,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;&#x27;Yung dalawa po sila na nangontrata. Ito po ‘yung picture ng project worth P50,721,000. Dalawang beses po itong ginawa ng dalawang kontratista– ‘yung Zota Trading Construction at saka kayong construction firm ni Dong Calugay.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/27/dpwh-mimaropa-officials-plead-not-guilty-in-flood-control-graft-case-0946">Eight DPWH-Mimaropa officials plead not guilty in flood control graft case</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>FURTHER INVESTIGATION</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>But complainants admit they still lack evidence, and so they wrote in the complaint-affidavit a request to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure and the Office of the Ombudsman to conduct further investigation.</p><p>Aquino added that they were hoping to obtain documents from one of the respondents, DPWH Pangasinan 2nd District Engineering Office’s Engineer Editha Manuel, for evidence on De Venecia’s involvement in supposed flood control project anomalies.</p><p>This includes possible kickbacks from contracts.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/11/27/bir-files-tax-evasion-cases-vs-contractors-tagged-in-bulacan-flood-control-projects-1025">BIR files tax evasion cases vs contractors tagged in Bulacan flood control projects</a></div><p>“So we conducted our investigation and we found out that Nelson Sotto, the exclusive contractor of De Venecia, facilitated all these projects. Itong dalawang project na ito, siyang nag-facilitate. Kaya sabi ng DPWH officials sa kwan, ‘yung mga nakausap namin sa Region 1, ay ‘yung kumokolekta daw, sabi nila, si Congressman De Venencia, si Christopher, ng 20 percent sa lahat ng mga kontratista, mga kontrata, mga iba pang kwan doon, hindi lang sa flood control,” Aquino said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/27/rep-gardiola-breaks-silence-on-flood-control-corruption-issue-welcomes-probe-1219">Rep. Gardiola denies involvement in anomalous flood control projects</a></div><p>When asked about the presence of direct evidence against De Venecia, Aquino said, &quot;Kapag nakuha na namin ‘yung mga dokumento na ayaw ibigay ni District Engineer Editha Manuel kasi lahat ng program, lahat ng program work, lahat ng mga kwan, project ay may resolusyon si Congressman De Venecia.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Siyempre siya ang nagdidikta sa DPWH kung saan ilalagay ‘yung mga project niya.&quot;</p><p>ABS-CBN News is reaching out to De Venecia and Calugay for comment.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/27/zaldy-co-lawyer-denies-blackmail-attempt-vs-marcos-gov-t-1119">&#x27;Ridiculous&#x27;: Zaldy Co lawyer denies blackmail attempt vs Marcos gov&#x27;t over passport cancellation</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/i_CQ2DfLwog?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rurwJYTyVYs?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>The complainants wrote in the complaint-affidavit a request to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure and the Office of the Ombudsman to conduct further investigation.</p>

The complainants wrote in the complaint-affidavit a request to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure and the Office of the Ombudsman to conduct further investigation.

Ex-Rep. De Venecia, Mayor Calugay face raps over alleged Pangasinan ghost flood projects

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Ex-Rep. De Venecia, Mayor Calugay face raps over alleged Pangasinan ghost flood projects

Agatha Gregorio,

ABS-CBN News

Published Nov 27, 2025 03:03 PM PHT

Read More:

Flood Control

Ghost Project

DPWH

Contractor

Ombudsman

Flood Control Scandal

Pangasinan

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